This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Internal combustion engines often include an exhaust system that expels and treats the gases produced during the controlled combustion inside the engine. The gases that are produced during the controlled combustion are expelled at elevated temperatures. The energy associated with these heated gases is often transferred to the atmosphere resulting in inefficiencies in the internal combustion engine.
While diesel engines are known for being somewhat more efficient than other types of internal combustion engines, diesel engines also suffer from large inefficiencies that result from the expulsion of exhaust gases at elevated temperatures. The exhaust systems that are used in connection with diesel internal combustion engines often include aftertreatment systems that can contain a catalyst, a particulate filter and a deNox device to treat the gases expelled from the diesel internal combustion engine. After the expelled gases are treated, the gases remain at elevated temperatures. Instead of wasting the energy associated with the exhaust gases, the principles of the aforementioned Rankine cycle can be utilized to recover energy that can be used by various systems in the vehicle.
Known systems that attempt to recapture the energy associated with exhaust gases suffer from several disadvantages. Known systems are often bulky, complex and are difficult to integrate into existing vehicle systems. Known systems are also expensive, inefficient and difficult to service and maintain.